students

The scrap among the main political parties and the media focus on protest violence has taken public attention away from the purpose and future of public universities in the UK, says beliefs and values thinktank Ekklesia.

Since leaving full-time education, I have worked with the student movement in several ways – through backing campaigns, through being employed by a students' union, through giving freelance media training to groups such as People & Planet and the Student Christian Movement.

And I have never felt more proud to be associated with the student movement than I do this week.

As arms companies target university careers fairs, they may be hoping that the economic situation will encourage graduates to work for them. But a wave of student protests have broken out at graduate recruitment events across the UK, suggesting that students are more unwilling than ever to use their skills in the service of a trade that fuels war and perpetuates poverty.

The Business Secretary, Vince Cable has triggered a mixed reaction after saying that university students will “almost certainly” have to pay more towards their education, in contrast to the Liberal Democrats' previous approach.